VDOT News - Statewide

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation crews are monitoring road conditions and are prepared to respond to the winter weather impacting the Commonwealth. Snow is expected to continue into the late afternoon rush hour and into Saturday, with the greatest impact expected along the Eastern Shore. Reduced visibility and an increased potential for downed trees and power lines will make travel hazardous.

Motorists should not travel in impacted areas during and after the storm. With sub-freezing temperatures overnight, refreeze is imminent, rendering roads unsafe for driving. Treat wet spots on the road as if they are ice, especially on bridges, ramps, overpasses and elevated surfaces.Teams are prepared to work around-the-clock removing snow and clearing downed trees as needed to ensure roads are passable.

Key reminders:

• The safest place to be during a winter storm is inside. Stay home during winter weather and avoid nonessential travel.
• When visibility is poor; driving is hazardous.
• If you must travel during adverse weather conditions:
• Make travel arrangements to avoid driving during and after snowfall
• Monitor forecasts along your entire route, as forecasts can improve or worsen
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• Slow down and allow plenty of time to reach your destination
• Review and be familiar with alternative routes to your destination
• Clear snow and ice from your vehicle before driving
• Avoid passing snowplows and other heavy equipment or following too closely to allow VDOT crews room to work
• Keep an emergency winter weather kit in your vehicle including food, water, first aidmaterials, tools and blankets in the event of a breakdown or stoppage.
• Visit 511Virginia.org for the latest road conditions before traveling. If possible, avoid travel until road conditions improve.

For more information on winter weather travel, visit virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp.

Other resources:

• To report hazardous road conditions or talk to a customer service representative, call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or visit online at my.vdot.virginia.gov.

• VDOT recently partnered with Waze to add a new feature to the navigation software app that allows users to report, in real-time during winter weather, when a road has not been plowed. It will also inform travelers when they are approaching a road that has been identified by other drivers as unplowed.

• Traffic information is also available on Twitter @511statewideVA; for general VDOT information, follow @VaDOT.

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.